Aerial Duel
by Cobalt the Spix Macaw
Summary: Rainbow Dash is the fastest flier ever. Until a certain somepony shows up and challenges her to a race.


It was still in the early morning hours in Cloudsdale, many of its inhabitants, the pegasi, were either still asleep or just now waking up to enjoy their breakfast. However, there was one pegasus that had been up long before Celestia's Sun radiantly shunned upon the city in the sky. It was of course a pegasus with a jet black coat. His mane was black as well but a fine strip of purple was embedded within it.

"98…..99….100!" Night Shade grunted as he lifted himself up and down repeatedly using only his strong wings. Afterwards he finally rose up to his hooves allowing his jet black wings to finally rest for a while. His jagged, but smooth mane flowed freely in the wind as well as his tail. His flank also bore his cutie mark which was a crescent moon.

Night Shade wiped his head with a hoof to remove the sweat that had accumulated on his head. The strain from training his wings all morning was getting to him, but he shrugged it off. "Whew, that's enough exercise for now." The dark pegasus told himself knowing it was time to head outside. It was just about his shift for weather management around Cloudsdale. Night Shade preferred working in the morning. It seemed better to work him to get the day's work over with and do whatever for the rest of the day.

The dark pegasus smiled as he walked amongst the clouds that were as soft as pillows. Letting the sun beat down upon him, Night Shade scanned the sky for any misplaced clouds. He eyed a few stray clouds outwards from Cloudsdale and without hesitation, immediately sped toward the clouds. He realized that all that time working on his speed was paying off as he reached the cloud's vicinity within seconds.

Once Night Shade was within close range of the cloud, the stallion launched his hind legs toward it, forcing the cloud to vanish into small puffs of dust which slowly dissipated into nothing. Satisfied with its destruction, Night Shade looked further outward to see a wide array of clouds all around Cloudsdale. The pegasus smirked before quickly setting off to the nearest cloud toward him.

This time however, Night Shade wanted to test just how fast he was and to do that he went towards each cloud at full speed each one dissipated into nothing as the first cloud as he whizzed by each one. It only took Night Shade 30 Second to get each and every cloud around him. Looking back at his work, Shade patted his hooves on a job well done not spotting any more clouds within the vicinity.

Now that work was basically finished for now he had the rest of the day to himself. He wasn't the only pony on the morning shift and thought that whoever else would take care of the rest of the morning's workload. Besides he has just got rid of a day's worth of clouds in 30 seconds. Now that work was done, Night Shade contemplated on what to do next. He had already finished exercising and his work for today was already done.

"Guess I'll just stroll around for a bit." Night Shade said to himself. He then began flying around Cloudsdale before his stomach had decided to interrupt his morning stroll. He had forgotten to eat breakfast since he started the morning with exercise. The pegasus contemplated what to eat before coming with the conclusion to get something to eat in Ponyville. It was one of the best places to get breakfast after all.

Once in Ponyville, Shade saw the perfect restaurant to stop by and eat at. "This seems like a fine place to eat." Night Shade said touching down in Ponyville's soft yet sturdy soil and sitting down at one of the restaurant's tables.

It wasn't the first time Night Shade had been in Ponyville, but he was still new and unused to the place. He remembered the first time he had come to Ponyville; an infamous pink pony had gravitated towards him and immediately started talking and giving him all kinds of random gifts. Those gifts ranged from cakes to cupcakes to presents and other random merchandise. Shade wasn't particularly fond of the talkative pony, but he was thankful for what she had done for him. She even went into great lengths to throw a "super ultra-mega awesome" party just for him and he'd enjoyed it.

"Hello sir, may I take your order?" A very fancy dressed waiter asked coming towards Night Shade.

"Yes!" Night Shade replied. "I'd like the hay-n-cheese sandwich." He requested politely. Hay-n-cheese sandwiches were good to him especially if they were grilled.

"As you wish sir. It shall be out in a moment." The stallion replied leaving Night Shade to be by himself for a while minus a few other ponies who had chosen to eat there as well.. In only a few minutes, the waiter returned with Shade's sandwich.

"Alright!" Night Shade said excitedly. He then ate the sandwich and marveled at the rich and smoky flavor of the cheese and hay. Together with the bread, they formed one of the best delicacies he had ever tasted. He would have savored the flavor, but his hunger had consumed him and in result he had finished the sandwich almost as fast as he cleared the clouds in Cloudsdale.

Finished and stratified, Night Shade looked upward at the skies above Ponyville. It was in the same state as Cloudsdale was with stray clouds littered everywhere. "Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to get a little more extra work in." Night Shade said to himself unaware of the town's current weather management team. He would be doing them a favor after all wouldn't he? Without second thought, Night Shade went around Ponyville and destroyed every single cloud around it, ensuring a bright and sunny day to the small town.

"Hey! Who do you think you are?" A voice suddenly penetrated Shade's eardrum. He turned around to see a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail. It didn't take a second guess from him to tell who it was either.

It was Rainbow Dash, one of the top fliers in all of Equestria. Her status had of course interested Night Shade not as a fan or an admirer, but a rival. She was the reason why he had been training and working on his flying speed. He remembered the day he had entered the Young Fliers Competition and he had done fairly well, but then the mare waltz in and did a Sonic Rainboom. Something he had thought wasn't even possible. Even though he couldn't do a Sonic Rainboom, he still wanted to prove to Rainbow Dash that she wasn't the fastest flier in Equestria and that the winner of the competition should have gone to him.

"Hey you listening to me chump!? I said what do you think you're doing?" Rainbow Dash said again more aggressively than usual. Ponyville was her assigned place for weather management.

Shade simply smirked. "Oh me? I just wanted to give Ponyville a little show about how weather management is really done." He said smugly. He knew Rainbow Dash's weakness was her own ego and he would take advantage of that.

"Pffft You call that weather management." Rainbow Dash teased giving off a small raspberry. "I could do what you did even faster." She boasted.

"Oh really?" Shade questioned. "Yeah, I don't think so." He added.

"I am the fastest flier in Equestria you know." Rainbow Dash stated.

"Correction, Second fastest flier in Equestria seems like a more appropriate title for you." Night Shade responded hoping to get her to take the bait.

"Oh and who do you say is the fastest?" She questioned. Rainbow Dash pointed a hoof at Night Shade. "You?" The cyan pegasus then doubled over with laughter as if it were a joke. "As if!"

"If you really think you're faster than me then why you put your bits where your mouth is and have a little race with me?" Night Shade suggested.

Rainbow Dash laughed a little before responding. "Heheh fine, I'll race you to see who's the fastest." She said.

Night Shade knew Rainbow Dash wasn't a pushover having actually seeing her abilities in action. The mare wasn't called Rainbow and Dash for nothing. Then he realized he had his own fair share of preparations for this kind of race. He knew he could beat her and prove exactly how wrong she was.

"Ok then, we shall race from here to Winsome Falls." Night Shade explained pointing towards the area where Cloudsdale's rainbows fell into the water. It was one of the only falls in Equestria and it was a sight to see within one's lifetime.

"Fine, bring it on chump." Rainbow Dash said smugly as she got ready for the race to start.

While all of this was transpiring, a group of ponies couldn't help, but listen in on their conversation. Hearing about the race suddenly sparked intense conversation about who would win and soon bets were being placed. Ponyville being a small town that it is, news spread around like a wild-fire and as such more and more ponies came by to add their own bits.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were on a small stroll together before they noticed the big crowd. They were both in awe as the saw the two about to race each other. "Who do you think is going to win?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle like she was crazy. "Duh! Rainbow Dash is going to win these hooves down." She remarked about her idol. Applebloom looked at Night Shade curiously. "Are ya sure about that scoots?" The filly asked her. "Of course I'm sure! Rainbow Dash is the fastest flier ever!" Scootaloo said with praise. Sweetie Belle looked at Applebloom empathetically before she looked back at the two pegasi.

After a while Rainbow Dash and Night Shade both readied their wings as the flag waver pony readied the flag. The moment the flag was waved the two racers dashed as fast they could to get the early lead.

Night Shade and Rainbow Dash remained both neck and neck, both unable to out speed each other despite their best efforts. Night Shade was equally impressed as Rainbow Dash was of him though he had expected at least this much from the so called fasted flier in Equestria.

They were now over the Everfree Forest. The pegasi flew by it so fast they blew away so of the trees uprooting them a bit in result. By now they were both near Winsome Falls as they could tell by the unmistakable rainbow colored waters.

"Good Going chump." Rainbow Dash teased. "But It's time to end this….with a boom." She hinted. Night Shade immediately caught on as he knew what Rainbow Dash was about to do: A Sonic Rainboom.

Normally he would be moralized by it but Night Shade simply smiled. He had one last trick up his hoover as well. "I agree it is time to end this." Night Shade said as a small aura started to show around the front of his body as did Rainbow Dash. "But I can assure you that it will be I who wins." Shade said the sound barrier had now engulfed his body and he prepared to do his variation of the Sonic Rainboom.

Then at the same exact time Rainbow Dash and Night Shade did their respective Rainboom. Rainbow Dash's of course was her trademark rainbow spectrum. Night Shade's however a gray tone rainbow was. Both reached the finish line at the exact time.

"Ha! I won!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "No you didn't!" Night Shade quickly spat. "I did!" He argued. Rainbow Dash then spat in his face for his ignorance before Night Shade became so enraged he dashed into her forcing both of them down to the ground.

They began horse playing around a bit too violently until a shining light came forth and broke them up. "What's going on?" Night Shade asked as he remained paralyzed with a golden aura. Rainbow Dash just murmured something inaudibly though if she could shrug she would've. A loud voice boomed over them before its respective owner appeared.

The Princess of the Sun and all of Equestria had appeared and apparentlystopped the two form injuring each other further. The regal princess eyed both of them sternly and in response Night Shade and Rainbow Dash had a look of fear in their eyes.

"Do you two realize what you have done?" Celestia asked with a hint of coldness in her voice. Night Shade attempted to answer the question. "Uhhh…Won a race?" He guessed. Celestia eyed him again. "No!" She shouted making him flinch; or at least if he could as he was still caught in her telekinetic powers.

"What did we do Princess? We were just having a little race….uhh no harm done in that right?" Rainbow Dash spoke up. Celestia shook her head in disappointment and lifted them up with her magic to face the way they had flown in. "Look at the damage you have done…That is the harm you have done." Celestia said sternly.

Looking back Night Shade and Rainbow Dash both saw the damage they had done racing each other here. The place where they both did their own version of the Sonic Rainboom was by far the most devastated area as complete trees were uprooted and animals were injured along with the vegetation. Rainbow Dash and Night Shade both gulped at the guilt. They then were finally released from their physic hold and landed back onto the ground both a little worn out and raggedy looking as told by their manes.

"Not only that but you have gotten Ponyville addicted to gambling!" Celestia added. "And gambling is just as wrong!" The princess said her voice was lighter this time however. "Now, as for your punishment." Celestia eyes them again. Rainbow Dash and Night Shade both looked at each other with guilt ridden faces and gulped before looking back at the princess.

Celestia's eyes glowed a pure white color and her horn glowed a majestic color just as bright, jamming with magic. Rainbow Dash and Night Shade closed their eyes from the intensity but even if it weren't for that it would have been from fear of what would've happened. Would they be locked up in a cage? Banished to the Moon? Or locked up in a cage on the Moon? There was then a bright flash and then Rainbow Dash and Night Shade opened their eyes.

To their surprise they were still in Equestria and better yet they weren't all worn out as before except something felt different. Rainbow looked at her backside as did Night Shade. Their eyes widened as they didn't see something that was supposed to be there. "MY WINGS!" They yelled. They looked at each other with shocked faces. "YOUR WINGS!" They repeated in synch. "OUR WINGS!" They said together looking at the princess who simply smiled back at them.

"As punishment your wings shall be taken away for 365 days!" She said with a slight chuckle. She then used her own wings to fly back to Canterlot to attend her own important business. Left alone with each other Rainbow Dash and Night Shade sighed in relief. They didn't even care who won the race now as they had lost their most prized possessions; their wings.

"Hey Dash. I'm sorry about this whole mess." Night Shade apologized; Rainbow Dash looked back at him with sympathy. "Yeah….I'm sorry too." She said sadly walking away and towards her home. Losing her wings was a great blow to her and it may have just been better to banish her to the moon. Night Shade wasn't too distraught going without wings for a whole year didn't seem too bad.

"Wait….." Night Shade said curiously. "How am I supposed to get back home?!" He yelled


End file.
